Camellia plant named ‘HA012’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Camellia  plant named ‘HA012’, characterized by its sturdy upright plant habit; rapid growth habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy appearance; leathery dark green-colored leaves; flowering during the summer, autumn and winter; relatively large light red-colored single-type flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Camellia changii X Camellia japonica.

Cultivar denomination: ‘HA012’.

CROSS-REFERENCED TO CLOSELY RELATED APPLICATIONS

Title: Camellia Plant Named ‘HA011’

Applicants: Liu Xinkai, Huang Wanjian & Xu Hui

Filed: Concurrently with this application

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant, botanically known as Camellia changii X Camellia japonica, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘HA012’.

The new Camellia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Zhaoqing, China. The objective of the breeding program is to create new fast-growing Camellia plants that flower year-round and tolerate full sunlight.

The new Camellia plant originated from a cross-pollination conducted by the Inventors in October, 2006 in Zhaoqing, China of an unnamed seedling selection of Camellia changii, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Camellia japonica ‘Kramer's Supreme’, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Camellia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a single plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Zhaoqing, China in September, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Camellia plant by grafting cuttings onto an unnamed selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented, in a controlled greenhouse environment in Zhaoqing, China has shown that the unique features of this new Camellia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Camellia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘HA012’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘HA012’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Camellia:

-   -   1. Sturdy upright plant habit.     -   2. Rapid growth habit.     -   3. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy appearance.     -   4. Leathery dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Flowering during the summer, autumn and winter.     -   6. Relatively large light red-colored single-type flowers.     -   7. Good garden performance, tolerant to full sunlight         conditions.

Plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia are oblong in shape         whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection are         lanceolate in shape.     -   2. Leaves of plants of the new Camellia have serrate margins         whereas leaves of plants of the female parent selection have         entire margins.     -   3. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are slightly fragrant         whereas flowers of the female parent selection are not fragrant.

Plants of the new Camellia differ primarily from plants of the male parent, ‘Kramer's Supreme’, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Margins of leaves of plants of the new Camellia are not as         serrate as margins of leaves of plants of ‘Kramer's Supreme’.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘Kramer's Supreme’ differ in         flower color as plants of ‘Kramer's Supreme’ have darker         red-colored flowers.     -   3. Plants of the new Camellia flower multiple times during the         year whereas plants of plants of ‘Kramer's Supreme’ flower once         a year.

Plants of the new Camellia can be compared to plants of Camellia changii X Camellia japonica ‘HA011’, disclosed in a U.S. Plant patent application Ser. No. 15/530,356 filed concurrently. Plants of the new Camellia and ‘HA011’ differ primarily in flower color as plants of ‘HA011’ have red and light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Camellia can also be compared to the plants of Camellia ‘Hong Lu Zhen’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons plants of the new Camellia differ from plants of the ‘Hong Lu Zhen’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Camellia are faintly fragrant         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Hong Lu Zhen’ are not fragrant.     -   2. Plants of the new Camellia flower multiple times during the         year whereas plants of plants of ‘Hong Lu Zhen’ only flower one         time each year.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Camellia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Camellia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘HA012’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up view of typical vegetive stems, developing flower buds and developing flowers of ‘HA012’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Zhaoqing, China in an outdoor nursery during the late autumn and under cultural practices typical of commercial Camellia production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 22° C. and night temperatures averaged 18° C. Plants were five years old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Camellia changii X Camellia japonica     ‘HA012’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Camellia changii, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Camellia japonica ‘Kramer's             Supreme’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By grafting cuttings onto a rootstock, an unnamed             selection of Camellia gaozhouensis, not patented.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About two             months days at temperatures about 28° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About two             months days at temperatures about 8° C. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub;             sturdy upright plant habit; vigorous growth habit; rapid             growth rate.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit; about two to three             primary lateral branches each with about three to four             secondary branches; dense and bushy appearance.         -   Plant height.—About 172 cm.         -   Plant diameter, area of spread.—About 76 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Length, secondary branches:             About 22 cm. Diameter: About 1.8 cm. Internode length: About             1.5 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 35° from             vertical. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte; woody             with development. Color, young stems: Close to 165B. Color,             older stems: Close to 199C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, single. Length:             About 7.8 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm. Shape: Oblong. Apex:             Acute. Base: Cuneate. Margin: Serrate. Venation pattern:             Pinnate, arcuate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous; leathery; moderately glossy. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery; matte. Color:             Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137B. Developing             leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B. Fully expanded leaves,             upper surface: Close to 139A; venation, close to 144A; color             does not change with the seasons. Fully expanded leaves,             lower surface: Close to 137B; venation, close to N144A;             color does not change with the seasons.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; matte. Color, upper surface: Close to 143B. Color,             lower surface: Close to 146A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower arrangement and appearance.—Single-type rotate             flowers, flowers terminal and axillary; freely flowering             habit with usually about 22 flowers and flower buds             developing per plant; flowers face mostly upright to             outwardly.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Camellia flower             during the summer, autumn and winter in Zhaoqing, China.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Plants maintain good flower             substance for about eight to ten days on the plant; flowers             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Faintly fragrant.         -   Flower diameter.—Relatively large, about 8.7 cm.         -   Flower depth.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.4 cm.             Shape: Ovoid. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 144A.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About 33 imbricate petals             arranged in numerous whorls. Length: About 5.1 cm. Width:             About 3.3 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate. Apex: Obcordate. Base:             Cuneate. Margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte.             Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 50B. When             opening, lower surface: Close to 52A. Fully opened, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 52A; venation, close to 53B;             color does not change with development.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: About nine to eleven             imbricate sepals arranged in a shallow cup-shaped calyx.             Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm. Shape: Rounded.             Apex: Obtuse. Base: Rotund. Margin: Entire. Texture and             luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             leathery; moderately glossy. Color: When opening, upper             surface: Close to 146A. When opening, lower surface: Close             to 144A. Fully opened, upper surface: Close to 160C. Fully             opened, lower surface: Close to 160A.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 mm. Diameter: About 4 mm. Aspect:             About 30° to 40° from stem axis. Strength: Strong. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: Close to 146B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per flower:             About 101. Filament length: About 3.2 cm. Filament color:             Close to 37C. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther size: About 2 mm             by 0.9 mm. Anther color: Close to 9A. Pollen amount: Scarce.             Pollen color: Close to 9A. Gynoecium: Quantity of pistils             per flower: Four-parted. Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style             length: About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 138D. Stigma             color: Close to 138C. Ovary color: Close to 138C.         -   Fruits and seeds.—Fruit and seed production have not been             observed on plants of the new Camellia. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Camellia have been observed     have good garden performance and to tolerate rain, wind, full     sunlight and temperatures ranging from about −10° C. to about 40° C. -   Disease & pest resistant: Plants of the new Camellia have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Camellia     plants. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Camellia plant named ‘HA012’ as illustrated and described. 